The Line Change

For Those About to Rock…

cbjnick — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 12:53:55 +0000

Twelve games into the 2010-11 season and the Blue Jackets rest at 8-4-0 and currently tied for 3rd place with 16 points in the Western Conference. This is the best start in franchise history. Last time we said that (last year) was under Ken Hitchcock which led to the most dissapointing season in franchise history. But this time it looks different. The Blue Jackets have been able to bounce back from every loss so far this season as we have yet to lose consecutive games; something we didn’t see last year. The Blue Jackets have been able to resort to the younger players like Brassard and Voracek (still waiting on Filatov). Brassard leads the Jackets with 8 points and 5 goals on the season. After his comments about owner John P McConnell I think it is best that he keeps this style of play up. The Blue Jackets blue line is getting better as we speak. Rusty Klesla has a +/-10 and the defensive play Methot has just been mind blowing. Garon has had the hot glove so far this season as he will make his 3rd consecutive start tonight against the Wild. Garon is coming off of 2 straight shutouts, .89 GAA, and a save percentage of .966. Maybe watching Garon from the bench will fuel Steve Mason to get to the place that he was his rookie year. It has been a dissapointment to see him sit the bench but it’s excellent that we have a goaltender like Garon to fall back on. As for injuries; Jan Hejda has returned to the lineup and Mike Commodore has been cleared from IR. Kristian Husselius is still out. I believe that the new system under Arniel is finally starting to set in. I think the Blue Jackets would like to see a little more scoring (cbj has not scored more than 3 goals in a game this season) but right now the focus is winning. I don’t care if we only score 1 goal per game….as long as we make the playoffs.

Get Ready to be Mased

cbjnick — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 22:46:13 +0000

Yes, I’m still alive and it’s good to be back! It has been a quiet off season for the Columbus Blue Jackets ever since the draft, but the battlefield is getting heated once again as the 2010-11 pre-season approaches us. The Columbus Blue Jackets are currently attending camp as we speak and I have been trying to keep up with everything through twitter (follow me @ cbjnick) but not really a lot to talk about on that part. I learned that Kris Russell has sprained his knee and is currently resting while the Jackets have resorted to the depth chart. Some exciting news is that new head coach Scott Arniel has Voracek, Brassard, and Filatov on the same line and has kept it that way since camp started. A source said that Arniel is going to keep that line through the pre-season at least. If all three of those players play how they are expected to, then that could be an explosive line! Look for Arniel to add the maximum amount of offensive to potential to this hockey club. As for some confusing news, former head coach Ken Hitchcock was hired as the special advisor of the prospects. Ummm….ok? I assume it’s easier for the club to swallow the remainder of his contract if he is actually doing something. I have nothing against Hitch at all. It was actually heartbreaking to me to see him go. He brought us a long way. But one of the reasons he was let go was because of his lack of motivation for the young players. Although I believe he will play this role because he has an eye for true talent. Just because he can’t coach it doesn’t mean he can’t see it. And now onto the latest trade rumor. Mike Commodore is hearing the rumors that he needs to pack his bags and get a plane ticket to Edmonton. Sheldon Souray has evidently made it clear that he doesn’t want to be in Edmonton and has skipped out on camp. Howson has made previous statements of making a move on the defensive front and what a move that would be. From my understanding Edmonton has the room to take Commie’s contract and it would knock a nice chunk off of the Jackets budget. After a disappointing season from Commodore, and the amount of money he is getting paid, I say bring Souray to Columbus! God knows that we could use his power-play abilities!

All summer long I have been awaiting the contract extension of goaltender Steve Mason. And finally my prayer was answered. Today the Blue Jackets announced that Steve Mason has been signed to a 2 year extension through the 2012-13 season. Mason will receive $2.6 million in 2011-12 and $3.2 million in 2012-13. Coming off of his sophomore campaign, Mason is looking to take over the NHL again. His slump last year was costly to the team but you can’t put all the blame on him. The 22 year old told the Dispatch that after 2013 he hoped to sign a long term deal. He loves the city and the guys he plays with. That is the attitude we need in Columbus. I’m predicting a breakout season for Steve Mason. After the firing of Hitch, Mason finished the season at 7-8-3. After watching interviews with the players on the hiring of Arniel, no one seemes as excited or refreshed as Steve Mason. OK, maybe Filatov. But Mason can relax and play his game and have fun again. He’s 22 years old, has his future planned in the NHL, and has a fresh start awaiting for this season. The Blue Jackets take on the Atlanta Thrashers tomorrow in the first pre-season event at 7:00 pm. Go Jackets and Carry the Flag!

Jackets Last Minute Dodge

cbjnick — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:29:18 +0000

And the Blue Jackets avoid arbitration again. The Columbus Blue Jackets have never gone through arbitration, and just when we all thought it was about to happen, Howson prevailed. The scheduled arbitration hearing was set for 9 a.m. this Wednesday morning. However, reports are saying that the deal was made only a few minutes before the hearing. Defenseman Anton Stralman and GM Scott Howson were able to come to agreements on a one-year contract worth $1.95 million. That is not the long-term contract that Stralman was looking for, but it is the one-year contract that Howson was looking for. Stralman will have this season to prove his worth and I expect to see a lot of improvement out of him. In 2009-10, Anton Stralman played 73 games racking up 6 goals, 28 assists, and 34 points with a +/- (-17). His 34 points was the most on the roster by a defenseman, however his +/- of -17 was tied with Derek Brassard for the worst on the team. I think it is safe to say that Stralman has the ability to make things happen on the ice. But his +/- rating clearly states that he needs to work on preventing things from happening as well. Stralman, also used for his power play abilities, scored just 4 goals on the power play last season. After this recent signing, the Blue Jackets now have seven defenseman stacked. Howson stated to the Dispatch earlier that he is pleased with the seven he has signed, but if the right deal is available Howson is willing to trade. He claimed there are still talks between a few teams and he is waiting for the right move. And he will wait. As a fan with little patience, Scott Howson is a tough GM to follow. We know that Vancouver is in the works, as for the other teams I have heard no names mentioned. Philly is a possibility. Time will tell if Howson will settle or make a move. In the mean time Stralman needs to prepare for this next season as he will have a lot to prove to Scott Howson and the Blue Jackets organization—unless, of course, he is traded.

Jared Boll’s Future

cbjnick — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:35:22 +0000

It is no surprise to me that Jared Boll is one of the few players to receive a quality offer from Scott Howson to make him a restricted free agent. With Derek Dorsett trying to improve his offensive skills, he can’t always be in the sin bin. Someone has to stand up for the team. Let’s look at our roster, we have no fighters. I remember recently when Rick Nash was having to take up for himself. As much as I love to see Rick Nash beat the crap out of someone, it is scary for the fans, coach, and the rest of the team. RJ Umberger has shown his lack of fighting experience, and last year Raffi Torres (no longer with us) didn’t even allow Patrick Sharpe to get his gloves off. My point is that besides Jared Boll, our only other enforcer would be Derek Dorsett. Although Dorsy can hold his own (better than Boll) I believe he is going to be used more offensively this season under Arniel. No, I don’t think Dorsett will stop fighting, I just see a decrease in his penalty minutes. My opinion might be a little bias considering Boll is one of, if not, my favorite player(s). With that being said, the rumor is Boll and his agent are working on a long-term deal with the Blue Jackets. I know many of you think that Jared Boll is not a long-term fit with this club, and I will have to agree with you. I would truly hate to see him go, but I think Jared Boll will be another Jody Shelley. He will get traded eventually, and then retire to become part of the CBJ staff. He is quickly getting replaced with recent draft pick, Dalton Smith. I see Boll signing a cheap contract for 4-5 years, and once Smith is ready for the NHL Boll will be traded. Unless we see major improvement with Boll, he will not stay with this franchise. However, let’s keep in mind there is a new system coming into Columbus and Jared Boll just might be one of Arniel’s army. Only time will tell. It will be exciting to see how players adapt and breakthrough the new system.

Boll vs Commodore

CBJ Key Draft Picks and the Road That Lies Ahead

cbjnick — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:55:24 +0000

…And that concludes the 2010 NHL Draft. Columbus Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson had nothing less than the weight of the world on his shoulders entering LA last Friday. This offseason being possibly the most exciting in Blue Jackets history, even topping last years offseason with the contract extension of Rick Nash, has been nothing short of suspenseful. The coaching search gave me my first grey hair and the draft nearly sent me into cardiac arrest. Scott Arniel’s hiring was a major relief for most Columbus fans (not including the ones who are still whining over Boucher, get over it). Going into Los Angeles, Howson and Arniel both realized the two major needs of the organization; a solid defenseman who is mobile, can put the puck in the net, and work the powerplay. And a top center that can make things happen with Rick Nash. Looking back at the Columbus Blue Jackets history, we have not been a franchise that spends big dollars on big names. Adam Foote and Sergei Federov were a stretch for us and look how that turned out. Howson felt the pressure of us fans wanting the draft pick to step in and play immediately. However, it doesn’t look like that will happen. The first pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and most important, Ryan Johansen. A center from the Portland Winterhawks that wants to be in Columbus and can score. 69 points in 71 games is impressive, I don’t care who you are! Give this kid a year or two and we will have that number one center with Rick Nash. My hat goes off to Howson because this was a bold move. He is receiving a lot of slack from fans for not drafting an “NHL ready” player. But let’s be real people, maybe the top three picks will start play immediately, but beyond that it’s all conditioning. And who’s to say that Johansen won’t floor us all at development camp?

Moving on to the second key pick, our first second round pick, Dalton Smith; a left wing from the Ottawa 67′s. After Howson made this pick, all I heard was enforcer. My first though was “why the crap? we have Dorsett and Boll!”. After I did some research on him I found out why Howson drafted him. Make sure you are sitting down…Dalton Smith is 6’1″ and weighs 203 pounds. He played in 62 games with 44 points, a +20 rating, and 129 PIM. Now that’s impressive.

My third key pick for the Jackets, Goalie Martin Ouellette. The stats on this kid, not impressive. But from my understanding he is amazing, just stuck on a bad team. Thanks to DarkBlueJacket for bringing it to my attention our need for a goalie. After 2011/2012 we are facing the need for another goaltender. Not to mention Kevin LaLande and Dan LaCosta were notified they will not be re-signed. I can’t see Steve Mason leaving, but you never know what will happen in the NHL (reference to Halak). That is why this is my third key pick for the Jackets.

Now as for the future, it only looks bright (maybe). If Brassard and Johansen develop into all that they are expected to be the need for a top center will be filled. I believe our need for the head coach has been filled. Arniel seems like a perfect fit! All that’s missing is a defenseman that can put the puck in the net and commit to powerplay. Brad Berry might be able to work with what we have, but I expect Howson to try to make a deal with someone. As a Jackets fan, it is a bit nerve racking going into the 10th season. But I have faith in Howson, Arniel, Nash, and the rest of the team. This is a bold prediction, but I think our 10th season will be our second playoff birth. There’s nowhere to go but up.

CBJ 1st Rd. Draft

cbjnick — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 14:53:34 +0000

With the 10th season of the Columbus Blue Jackets approaching, the hype continues to heat up. With the hiring of new head coach Scott Arniel, Howson and company have had their hands full of trade rumors and speculations as to how they would use the 4th overall pick in the 2010 draft. The trade rumor circle has been rumbling lately with word of Howson trading the 4th overall pick for quality center that can play with Rick Nash. Jason Spezza had even been reported as an official trade to the Jackets, only to find out it was merely a rumor. With all of the Jackets Nation watching on Friday night, Howson calmly approached the podium in LA. With everyone’s mind saying Cam Fowler or Brandon Gormley, Howson announced the 2010 draft pick for the Columbus Blue Jackets was…Ryan Joahnsen. A 6’2″ 190 pound center from the Portland Winterhawks. As Scott Howson patiently waited for the trade offer for the pick, it never came. Howson indeed wanted to trade down as he felt that Johansen would still be available. However, it didn’t work out as planned. With the Blue Jackets on the clock, Howson and the crew went with their original pick and selected Johansen at 4th overall. With the way things turned out in the draft, the Jackets made the right choice because I don’t believe Johansen would have lasted beyond the 6th pick. I believe that Howson made the right choice. After last years pick of Defenseman John Moore, a strong center will make a perfect fit. Johansen produced 69 points in just 71 games in Portland. It has been a long ten years for the franchise and we have yet to see a top center to play with Nash. Is Ryan Johansen the guy? Under Coach Arniel I believe he will explode on offense. I estimate at least one year of development for Johansen before we see him play with the Jackets. But he will indeed have his chance to prove himself next week in Columbus as he will attend development camp.